The resources here are designed for use by the press and media.
Recycling: why its important and how to do it (PDF† format - 170K) September 2007
This briefing explains the benefits of recycling and the best practice which councils should implement to improve doorstep collection schemes and maximise recycling rates.
Recycling collections - source separated or commingled?
(PDF† format - 125K) September 2007
This briefing outilnes the advantages of separating recyclable materials at the kerbside in doorstep collection schemes.
Food waste collections
(PDF† format - 165K) September 2007
Separate food waste collections from households offer the biggest potential for improving recycling rates, meeting targets for reducing how much we landfill and reducing the pressure for new incinerators.
Anaerobic Digestion
(PDF† format - 101K) September 2007
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a treatment that composts biodegradable waste in the absence of oxygen, producing a biogas that can be used to generate 100% renewable electricity and heat.
Up in Smoke
(PDF† format - 164K) September 2007
This briefing outlines Friends of the Earth's concerns with incineration, and covers the waste of natural resources, the effect on recycling and climate change and the pollution from air emissions and toxic ash.
Dirty truths: incineration and climate change (PDF† format - 755K) May 2006
This briefing investigates the climate impacts of energy from waste and residual waste treatment and shows that incinerators that produce electricity emit more greenhouse than gas fired power stations.
From waste to resource: a new strategy for 2005
(PDF† format - 358K) June 2005
This statement provides a number of policy recommendations for the Government during the review of Waste Strategy 2000. The statement has been agreed by a coalition of non-governmental environmental groups. For more on Friends of the Earth's position also see Target recycling: aiming for 50 per cent and beyond (PDF† )
Money to burn - perverse subsidies for incineration
(PDF† format - 173K) December 2003
This media briefing looks at the tax breaks and subsidies that incineration currently receives. Much of this investment is driven by energy policy, through exemptions in the Climate Change Levy and the Renewables Obligation, but these exemptions don't fit with current waste policy. We need joined up thinking to introduce incentives that deliver on both waste and energy policy goals.
An anti-green myth: incineration beats recycling
(PDF† format - 108K) March 2003
This briefing explores the reasons why the best way to deal with our waste is to dramatically increase our recycling rates, in spite of recent claims by a handful of Swedish and British scientists that incineration is better for the environment.
The way forward on waste
(PDF† format - 117K) January 2003
This is the new Friends of the Earth policy on municipal waste. It has been agreed following discussions between staff and local groups and gives our recommendations for the European Union, national government and local authorities.
Maximising recycling rates - tackling residuals
(PDF† format 175K) September 2002
This briefing outlines the key findings from research conducted for the Community Recycling Network on how we can maximise recycling rates from household waste and how we can best deal with the residuals, as we move towards zero waste in this sector.
Recycling: can local authorities afford it?
(PDF† format) February 2002
It costs money to provide households with a quality doorstep recycling and composting service. This factsheet outlines the costs and assesses whether the money already provided by the government is enough.
Target recycling: aiming for 50 per cent and beyond
(PDF† format 450K) January 2005
This report looks at the impact of setting statutory recycling targets and puts forward Friends of the Earth recommendations for future targets and other policy measures to support high rates of recycling in the UK.
Maximising recycling rates - tackling residuals
(PDF† format 572K) November 2002
This summary report of the research carried out by CRN and partly funded by FOE looks at how we can how we can maximise our current recycling rates and which treatments are most favourable for dealing with the residual waste.
Communities speak out on waste
(PDF† format 981K) June 2002
In this research report over fifty community groups, working on local waste issues around the UK, share their experiences and their recommendations for the Government.
Friends of the Earth's press releases for the Waste campaign.
†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.
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